(no subject)

[happy-accidents.livejournal.com]

This just in:
Planning on studying abroad with homestay, in Russia this summer.
Russian skills: poor
My mission: to get the most Russian knowledge between now and June.

So, in your guys' experience, what methods/books/programs have enabled you to get proficient in Russian the fastest? Obviously I don't expect to get anywhere past the intermediate level in one year- I just want to have a solid understanding for when I go there.
**By the way I have a Russian-speaking friend at school who can aid me in the learning process.


Anything, please.

Thank you!

Aimee

Comments

[wolfie-18.livejournal.com]

Well by June, you should probably know some Russian phrases instead of delving into a language. Buy any phrase book, and tell your Russian friend to tell you things or hold a mini-conversation with you so that you can also be able to hear-understand the language. As for the alphabet, just takes some time getting used to, but it's the easiest part of the language!

[happy-accidents.livejournal.com]

I can already read print and cursive :) Thank God

[owwwl.livejournal.com]

Maybe I could help you or my sister go_nzo (she usually posts bilingual texts in her lj). Если будете в Москве, обращайтесь;)

[happy-accidents.livejournal.com]

I'd love that

[squodge.livejournal.com]

I would seriously consider getting your hands on the entire Pimsleur Russian course (3 levels). Do a Google search for more details on it. I completed half of it and I can construct my own sentences and speak with a good accent - that is, good for a foreigner.

Pimsleur courses cost about US$300 per level, but you can pick them up from Ebay for far less than that. Alternatively, if you have a good internet connection and don't mind not paying royalties to the publishers, you could download them...

As for vocabulary, you could try Vocabulearn Russian - also in 3 levels. Each level teaches you about 1,000 words. I've never used them much, but apparently it's best if you listen to one tape daily, and you should be able to absorb all the words in less than a month.

As for grammar, I wouldn't worry too much about it for now. Just learn to say some simple things first, then worry about grammar.

~ squodge ~

[happy-accidents.livejournal.com]

I thought about getting Pimsleur. My friend downloaded it- I'll obtain copies, thanks

[fds.livejournal.com]

Hello. In my opinion in addition to books, you should have a good dictionary. I could suggest you Lingvo. It helps me learn German. It is not an advertising. It's just a suggestion. :)

[olga-mukhortova.livejournal.com]

http://rsuh.ru/english/rlc.htm
excellent teachers

[lunaqueen.livejournal.com]

Assimil is very very good for the spoken language. A friend of mine is learning russian through that and doing really well... as to me I find some difficulties getting used to that method because I study Russian at the University and use a different method. Have a look at it anyway http://62.193.198.10/indexuk.jsp?paramIdPartenaire=-2

[ma-sha-ivanova.livejournal.com]

Hi! :)
To my mind, no books will be of help to you if you don't have practice.
And you can have some, writing letters in Russian to a Russian. :)
I'm ready to help.
If you write letters, I can correct the mistakes and tell you, what grammar topic you have to revise and can answer any questions. (I'm myself a teacher of Russian as a foreign language).
If this is interesting for you, my e-mail is in my info. :)

[happy-accidents.livejournal.com]

That's so nice of you. Expect a letter in broken-Russian very soon.